This summer, the City will begin work on two large construction projects along the Ravenswood Creative Corridor. Both efforts will bring much needed improvements to our community. They will also impact the area in the form of road closures, temporary parking restrictions, and traffic detours.
Water Main Replacement Project
This summer, the Department of Water Management (DWM) will begin work replacing several old water mains in Ravenswood. The water main is the large pipe that runs along the street and brings water to each building’s individual service line. The existing main dates back to the 1890s.
Replacement work will take place along the following streets:
- Ravenswood Ave (west leg) from Lawrence to Wilson
- Sunnyside from Paulina to Ravenswood Ave
- Hermitage from Sunnyside to Montrose
This project is an important opportunity for DWM to replace the water main, replace existing lead service lines, and fully repave all three blocks. Work is scheduled to begin on Monday, May 26 and is expected to last for three months. Two crews will be working simultaneously- one on the west leg of Ravenswood Ave (between Lawrence and Leland) and one on Sunnyside. Once crews have completed work on each block, they will move south to Ravenswood Ave (Leland to Wilson) and to Hermitage. Throughout the project, these streets may be impacted by street closures, loss of public parking spaces, and water shut-offs.
- Parking impacts: There will be no access to parking on the street during workdays, from 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM on weekdays. Parking will be available at all other times. Crews will work to accommodate special deliveries, disabled residents, and other needs as they arise.
- Water Shutoffs: Crews will strive to provide 5 days’ notice ahead of any scheduled service interruptions. Some emergency repairs may take place (old pipes can crack as they are being worked on). These service interruptions are not expected to affect buildings that are not on the directly impacted blocks.
Each block will be closed during the workday for approximately one month, one after the other, to allow work to proceed. Impacted businesses and residents must abide by the posted parking restrictions and should be on the lookout for outreach from DWM regarding their lead service line.
For more info, including a presentation from DWM, view this recording of a recent community meeting about the project.
Ravenswood Avenue Resurfacing and Streetscape Improvements
Also during the week of May 26, work is slated to begin on a significant road resurfacing and streetscape improvement project along Ravenswood Ave. This includes resurfacing the east leg of Ravenswood Ave between Wilson and Peterson, expansion of the Winnslie Parkway garden trail, and other upgrades.
The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) will install several pedestrian and bicycle improvements along the corridor, including a southbound contraflow bike lane between Winnemac and Leland. The new bike lane will be protected by a concrete curb between Ainslie and Winnemac, replacing the parking along the west side of the street. Additionally, the City will install two raised crosswalks at Lawrence and at Winnemac, along with a pedestrian refuge island on Lawrence at Ravenswood. The latter will improve visibility and safety fo folks crossing the Lawrence near the Metra Station. You can read more about these improvements in a recent article on Block Club Chicago.
Finally, the project will create space for the planned expansion of the Winnslie Parkway community garden from Ainslie to Lawrence. This will create 1,000 feet of new pedestrian paths to the Metra Station as part of a community-managed greenspace (see here). To accommodate these improvements, CDOT will convert the existing diagonal parking into parallel parking along the tracks.
City crews will begin by repairing curbs for several weeks, starting at Peterson and moving south. They will then remove the old asphalt and repave the street. Businesses and residents should expect a 2-3 week delay between these two actions, as utility companies repair and adjust manholes and other structures. Crews will return at the end of the project to install the bike lane curb between Ainslie and Winnemac, refuge island at Lawrence, and raised crosswalks. Please note that CDOT anticipates temporary closures of Ravenswood Ave (north of Lawrence) for the construction of the raised crosswalks.
We remind you to please mind the orange construction signs indicating parking restrictions. If crews need to move a vehicle, they will relocate it to the next available block (no ticket will be issued). Residents can call 311 to find a relocated vehicle.
More Info on Local Construction
For more information about ongoing construction projects in the area, you can visit the websites of our local elected officials:
